Summer's Wind
by TauMeow
Summary: After many moons of peace, the clans have fallen into darkness. Warrior Codes will be violated, Rogues will scatter the clans, and the only hope of victory is creeping over to the darkness. The clans must Unite, or Die. Please, Read and Review!
1. Prologue: A Prophecy

The moonlight cast eerie shadows on the land below, moon shadows that danced in the darkness. A pair of eyes watched this dance, as the moon slowly made its nighttime journey across Silverpelt. And when it did, her eyes flashed silver.

For she saw what was to come for the cats she loved. Hate, betrayal, lack of judgment. A pulse so strong tore her heart as she glimpsed the future. At last, she could look no more. She turned away, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"You see it, too, don't you?" A soft voice murmured from behind her. The she-cat made no move. She just sighed, closing her eyes as if to try to block out the memories from which she'd seen.

"The time is coming." She murmured finally, "A time, Russetstar, when all clans will be devastated, if not destroyed."

The former ShadowClan leader nodded slowly, "I see prophecies, dangers, destruction. But the clans have always survived, Ashstar. Remember when the Twolegs destroyed the old forest? Everyone thought the clans final days were here until we found this." Her star-filled gaze swept across the land below her.

Ashstar bowed her head, a single tear running down the bridge of her nose. "How would you know?" she asked subtly, "It is WindClan who will take the most damage. Your clan will be safe."

"Not fully safe." The deeper voice of another cat echoed behind them.

Russetstar's gaze glinted with malice as she heard it, and she turned, lip curled. "Ah, yes, we forgot, Lionstar." She hissed, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "No cat nor clan can stand up against the mighty ThunderClan." Claws scraped the ground as she finished, "You are no longer there to protect your clan, mighty Lionstar. Sooner or later, it will fall, like the rest of ours."

The broad-shouldered tabby didn't reply, but gazed ahead. Ashstar only flicked her ears, Russetstar's contradiction only bringing back her doubts. They stood there for a long time, the three leaders, before Ashstar spoke again.

"Is there no way we can help them?" she asked, voice small.

"We don't need to be running around whimpering like tiny kits each time we see the future." A harsh retort resounded as Mossstar stepped from the bushes, "Stop acting like a kit, leader of WindClan."

Anger flared in Ashstar's heart as she turned to face Mossstar, fur bristling, "If you had seen what I saw for your own clan, would you do the same?" she spat, "You wouldn't know what you would do. Because you didn't see it." Fear sparked in Ashstar's eyes as she rose to full height, spitting at Mossstar.

Just as quickly as it had begun, it was over. "Calm, Ashstar." Lionstar hissed quietly, shoving himself in-between the hissing she-cats, "For there is a way."

"What is it then?" Russetfur snapped, "And why didn't you tell us sooner?"

The golden tabby only glared at Russetfur. "It is a prophecy." He closed his eyes, letting the words sweep over him, "Blood will fortell the danger, the sorrow the sacrifice. Of the breakage of rules and the destruction of loyalty. Peace shall be forgotten, when the wind blows hard and shatters the hope engulfing the forest into darkness."

"Well that's helpful," Mossstar retorted, her tail lashing, "Nothing better than destroyed peace and plenty of darkness."

"But at least it's something." Ashstar raised her head, "As thin of a thread as it is, my clan will cling to any hope."

"I will go deliver it to Shadewing." meowed Russetfur.

"And I to Stargazer." Ashstar put in. "They must be warned as soon as possible."

"Very well then." Lionstar announced, "May we light our clanmate's paths."

"And hope that this prophecy isn't just a heap of foxdung," Mossstar hissed.

Ashstar turned to Mossstar, hope replacing fear, "It isn't," she meowed quietly, "We must trust that." And with that, she disappeared into the underbrush, not to be seen by any other StarClan cats that night.


	2. Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

**_Leader_**** Flickerstar** – Broad-shouldered light brown she-cat with amber eyes

**_Deputy_** **Flamestripe** – Ginger tabby tom

**Apprentice, Grasspaw**

**_Medicine cat_**** Thrushflight** – Ginger, white, and brown tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Otterpaw**

**_Warriors_**_(toms, she-cats without kits)_

**Tigerfang **– Battle scarred dark brown tabby she-cat.

**Fallendream** – tan tom with a white underbelly and light tabby markings

**Badgerstripe **– black and white striped tom

**Apprentice, Pinepaw**

**Dewleaf** – Striped grey and black she-cat

**Apprentice, Snowpaw.**

**Scarletblood **– Calico she-cat with amber eyes

**Echostream** – Black tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice, Earthpaw.**

**Talonflight** – Black-and-white tom.

**Lightdrop **– Striped shorthair tom with yellow eyes

**Apprentice, Mosspaw**

**Locustleaf** – gray she-cat with paler tabby markings

**Apprentice, Sparkpaw**

**Seaflower** – silver tabby she-cat.

**Apprentice, Cinderpaw.**

**Mosswatcher** – mottled brown tabby tom with pale green eyes

**Crowsong** – Dark grey tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice, Pebblepaw.**

**Scorchwind **– ginger tom with light blue eyes

**Rosenleaf** – Calico she-cat.

**Apprentice, Nimblepaw**

**Mossfeather **– long furred pale grey she-cat

**Silverstorm** – silver tabby she-cat

**Poisonblood **– light brown tabby tom with deep amber eyes

**Sunleaf **– huge pale ginger tom with green eyes and a long tail

**Pinefox **– broad-shouldered fox colored tom with cream flecks

**Slatewing **– Light smokey-gray she-cat with white flecks and darker points on her face.

**Lionshadow** – Dark orange tabby tom with dull yellow eyes

**Lunareclipse** – Small blue-grey she-cat

**Rasberrypool **– small, blind, white she-cat

**Apprentice, Feeblepaw**

**_Apprentices_**_ (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)_

**Pebblepaw** – Grey-flecked white tom.

**Earthpaw** – cream colored she-cat with dark points on her tail, paws and ears.

**Snowpaw** – Black-and-white she-cat with light blue eyes.

**Cinderpaw **– Pale grey she-cat with blue eyes.

**Pinepaw **– dark brown tom with black patches

**Feeblepaw **– Pure white she-cat with blue, blind eyes.

**Otterpaw **– dark brown tabby tom with golden eyes(medicine cat apprentice).

**Nimblepaw** – russet colored she-cat.

**Grasspaw** – light brown tabby tom with green eyes.

**Sparkpaw **– fawn colored tom with deep amber eyes.

**Mosspaw** – light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**_Queens _**_(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

**Lunartear **– Gray and silver she-cat with green eyes (not kitted)(father Fallendream)

**Branchtail** – brindle she-cat with green eyes (kitted one kits Turtlekit)(father Talonflight)

**Yellowheart** – pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes (kitted, two kits, Amberkit and Venomkit) (father Poisonblood)

**_Elders_**

**Larchleaf **– Grey tabby tom.

**Sagebrush** – Sandy colored tom with a cropped tail.

* * *

**WindClan**

**_Leader_**** Ravenstar** – Black she-cat with a white muzzle and chest.

**_Deputy_**** Dawnflower** – ginger, white, and brown she-cat with small paws.

**_Medicine cat_**** Stargazer** – Black she-cat with glowing green eyes and a white tail tip.

**_Warriors _**_(toms, she-cats without kits)_

**Breezewhisper **– slender black tom with a small mark on the forehead

**Windvoice **– slender light gray she-cat with green eyes

**Dragonclaw** – light brown tom with black flecks and amber eyes

**Sparrowtail **– brown tabby she-cat with bright green eyes and one white paw

**Breezelight** – Long haired silver tabby she-cat with striking green eyes.

**Apprentice, Russetpaw.**

**Kestralsoar **– Amber-furred tom with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Copperpaw**

**Sandclaw** – Pale ginger tom with faintly white muzzle and green eyes.

**Apprentice, Dovepaw.**

**Fernheart** – light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Mosscloud **– Sleek black she-cat with blue eyes

**Littlesun **– small, yellow-orange she-cat

**Lightningfoot **– Light cream tabby with yellow eyes

**Mudtrace **– brown furred tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice, Brindlepaw**

******Aspenflight **– white and black she-cat with one ear.

**Moorsong **– silver tabby she-cat with a long tail

**Deepheart **– black tom with a white forepaw

**_Apprentices_**_ (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)._

**Russetpaw **– Silver she-cat with dark tabby stripes, white chest and belly and pale blue eyes.

**Dovepaw **– white she-cat with green eyes.

**Brindlepaw **– brindle tom with white paws.

**Copperpaw** – Copper-furred she-cat with golden eyes

**_Queens _**_(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

**Firestorm **– ginger she-cat with a white muzzle (kitted, three kits, Eaglekit, Moonkit, and Cardinalkit)(father Breezewhisper)

**Snowdust **– brindle she-cat with dark brown eyes (not kitted) (father Kestralsoar)

**Weaselbreath **– brown dappled she-cat (not kitted)(father Sandclaw)

**Swiftdawn **– white and brown she-cat (kitted, one kit, Scarkit)(father Deepheart)

**_Elders_**

**Tangletalon**– Pale she-cat with darker, light-gray flecks

**Bloodfur** – Dark tabby tom with light blue eyes.

**Brushtail **– gray she-cat with green eyes

* * *

**RiverClan**

**_Leader_**** Icestar** – Pale tom with blue eyes.

**Apprentice, Lightpaw**

**_Deputy_**** Riversong** – silver she-cat with blue eyes and a white-tipped tail

**_Medicine cat_**** Swampfoot** – Dark brown tom with dark black paws

**Apprentice, Moonfeather**

**_Warriors _**_(toms, she-cats without kits)_

**Rushbrook **– sandy-colored colored she-cat with light blue eyes

**Wavesong **– light grey she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Treepaw**

**Falconfur** – dark brown tom with black stripes and green eyes

**Apprentice, Fogpaw**

**Flamefang** – slender long-furred ginger tom

**Apprentice, Troublepaw**

**Skyspirit **– brown tabby tom with blue-green eyes

**Tigerstripe **– broad-shouldered dark tabby tom

**Apprentice, Hawkpaw**

**Duckstream **– cream colored she-cat with golden eyes

**Apprentice, Flickerpaw**

**Streamgazer **– black tom with light blue eyes

**Minkpelt** – dark brown she-cat with light green eyes

**Apprentice, Northpaw**

**Cloverfur **– light grey she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Eaglepaw**

**Fishtail **– orange furred she-cat with light blue eyes

**Apprentice, Stripedpaw**

**Cypressleaf **– light ginger tabby she-cat with white paws

**Fireclaw** – Brown-orange she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentice, Bluepaw**

**Frostflower **– silver she-cat with deep blue eyes

**Wildsky **– light brown tom with amber eyes

**_Apprentices_**_ (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)._

**Eaglepaw **– dark tabby tom with green eyes and cream around the scruff

**Lightpaw **– Light tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Troublepaw **– light brown tom with darker tabby stripes

**Treepaw **– Black and white she-cat with green eyes

**Flickerpaw **– brown tabby tom with two white paws and green eyes

**Hawkpaw **– Light gray she-cat with deep yellow eyes

**Swiftpaw** – black and white she-cat with blue eyes

**Bluepaw **– blue-gray tom with a jay feather tangled in the fur above his ear

**Stripedpaw **– brown tom with dark black tabby markings

**Fogpaw **– pale she-cat with green eyes

**Northpaw** – massive light-brown tabby she-cat

**_Queens _**_(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

**Frostwhisker **– long-furred white she-cat with blue eyes (kitted, three kits, Hawkkit, Sunkit and Swiftkit,) (father Tigerstripe)

**Clearbrook **– silver she-cat with one blue eye and one green(kitted, four kits, Timekit, Stormkit, Icekit, and Shadowkit) (father Streamgazer)

**Darkbreeze **– black she-cat with a white underbelly (kitted, two kits, Rainkit and Robinkit) (father Falconfur)

**Runningbrook** – silver she-cat with green eyes (not kitted) (Father, Flamefang)

**_Elders_**

**Heronlake **– light tabby tom with a gray-tipped muzzle

**Clawfur **– dark gray tom with yellow eyes

**Grasswhisker **– cream tabby she-cat with green eyes and long whiskers

* * *

**ShadowClan**

**_Leader_**** Shadowstar** – Black-furred she-cat with a white-tipped tapered tail

**Apprentice, Streakpaw**

**_Deputy_ Kiransou****l** – tortoiseshell she-cat with a black lined muzzle

**_Medicine Cat_**** Shadewing** – grey and white tom with black markings down his side

**Apprentice, Shadowpaw**

**_Warriors_**_(toms, she-cats without kits)_

******Willowtail** – Tabby she-cat with blue-green eyes.

**Spiderfoot** – black tom with blue-gray eyes

**Apprentice, Velvetpaw**

**Oceanwhisker –** White tom with black paws and green eyes

**Ivyclaw –** Dark gray tom with deep amber eyes

**Apprentice, Mistpaw**

******Foxpelt** – long-furred ginger she-cat with a white chest and a white-tipped tail

**Apprentice, Marinepaw**

** Appleoak** – white she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Waterpaw**

**Nettlefoot **–mottled brown tom

**Apprentice, Silverpaw**

**Snakeroot** – Ginger tom with golden eyes and white paws

**Apprentice, Blackberrypaw.**

**Nightsky **– Long-furred black tom with emerald-green eyes

**Darkfire** – dark tabby she-cat with deep amber eyes

**Thundersong** – long-fur, tabby she-cat with a cropped tail

**Apprentice, Silentpaw**

**Addertail** – ginger tom with white-tipped paws

**Apprentice Lynxpaw**

**Cloudeye **– Pure white she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye

**Apprentice, Timepaw.**

**Roseflight** – Gray she-cat with green eyes

**Thundercolt** – Young tom with long ginger and white fur, black/brown stripes, blue eyes, and a fluffy ringed tail.

**Apprentice, Tigerpaw**

**Summerfern** – light ginger she-cat with green eyes

**_Apprentices_**_ (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)_

**Silverpaw** – silver tabby she-cat with a white chest

**Mistpaw** – Silver she-cat with green eyes

**Timepaw** – Gray-blue she-cat with deep blue eyes

******Shadowpaw **– smoke-tinted grey she-cat (medicine cat apprentice)

**Velvetpaw** – Black she-cat with a long tail

******Marinepaw **– Large, lean grey, black, orange, and brown tortishell tom with marine blue eyes

**Lynxpaw** – Tawny colored tom with faint black markings

******Streakpaw** – Brown tabby tom.

**Blackberrypaw** – Black she-cat with golden eyes.

**Silentpaw** – dark-grey she-cat with ice-blue eyes.

**Waterpaw **– blue-gray she-cat

**Tigerpaw – **Blind Cream she-cat with a dark brown stripe down her tail

**_Queens_**_ (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

**Raveneye** – light grey she-cat (kitted, three kits, Whisperkit, Coyotekit and Marshkit) (father Ivyclaw)

**Martenpelt** –brown she-cat (kitted, two kits, Stonekit and Squirrelkit) (father Nettlefoot)

**Stripedmask** – dark tabby she-cat with light amber eyes (kitted, one kit, Eclipsekit) (father Spiderfoot)

**_Elders_**

**Duskstorm** – grey tom, retired due to stiff limbs and aching pains

**Deepfrost** – pale cream-colored she-cat with slow reflexes and reduced hearing

**Mosstail** – tan she-cat with black paws. Retired early due to complete loss of smell

* * *

**Kittypets:**

**Peaches **– golden tabby she-cat with white front paws

**Pippin **– Siamese tom with a thick, foreign accent

**Merry **– Long-haired tabby tom

**Strawberry **– cream colored she-cat

**Lemondrop **– white she-cat with green eyes

* * *

**Loners:**

**Bella **– Calico she-cat with blue eyes

**Falcon** – light brown tabby tom with golden eyes

**Blood **– Ragged black tom

**Twig **– light brown tabby she-cat

**Rain **– light brown she-cat with dark points on her face, paws and tail

* * *

**Rogues:**

**Skull **– White, battle-scarred tom with green eyes

**Mist **– Gray she-cat with a white muzzle

**Plague **– dark tabby tom with amber eyes

**Olive **– light grey she-cat with green eyes

**Venom **– light brown tom with entrancing green eyes

**Killer **– Dark grey tom with amber eyes

**Red Dawn before Morning (Red)**– tabby tom with golden eyes. Was once a tribe cat

* * *

**Other Animals:**

**Yip **– white and black dog from the horseplace

* * *

**OK, I'm posting a allegiances page for those who get confused with names and all that. For those of you who visit Warriors World, and you play some of these cats, or used to, please don't come complaining to me, saying that these two cats aren't supposed to be siblings, or this cat was an apprentice when this cat was a warrior. I will do changes if you point them out though. :)**


	3. Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening

Yowling split the air, as the clashing of claws and cats writhed in the clearing, making the mood chaotic, if not dangerous. Rogues poured through the tunnel, taking the clan by surprise. They knew that the startled warriors would be no match for them.

If only the dawn patrol reported their finds of trampled undergrowth, without, strangely, any scents. They were looking to pick a fight with RiverClan when they found it. Surprise attacks were never ShadowClan's strong points for defense, as their cunning warriors were usually able to smell intruders sunrises before attacks happened, giving little, if no, experience on the matter. Yet, if only that dawn patrol had reported their findings, scent or no, RiverClan or not. If they told, things would've been different. Much.

It happened so fast, silence one moment, death the next. Many warriors found themselves cornered, as they fought for survival. The attackers were ruthless, fighting and killing a mere trifle; something to be fooled with, yet never really challenging. They showed no mercy, killing kits, queens, elders alongside warriors and apprentices. They wanted no survivors, no one to give them trouble in the future, for that was their strategy, and, as they had learned in previous times, it worked quite well. ShadowClan were no match for them. Or so they thought.

Blackberrypaw stumbled out of her cave, spitting and hissing at the nearest attacker who had launched himself on one of her clanmates. Black fur electrified, she launched herself on top of the cat, clawing for his ear. Her recent apprentice ceremony had left her with little practice in fighting, as her mentor had not found time to train her yet. With all the experience she knew, she tried her best, pawing the older cat with swift blows. Yet this wasn't the soft moss balls she used played with in the nursery. With a swift blow, Blackberrypaw was knocked to the ground.

The rogue she tried to tackle grunted as he threw a swift glance her way, before resuming to claw Kriansoul, the ShadowClan deputy, to pieces. The she-cat yowled in pain, for help, but many of her clanmates were in the same situation she was in, and failed to answer her call. Only Blackberrypaw, still sprawled on the ground noticed her pleading cry, her groping expression, before finally, with a swift blow, she met her death at the paws of this savage.

The tiny apprentice stared in shock at the body of Kiransoul, her eyes glazing over, before looking at her murderer, who was quietly licking between his claws, cleaning any blood away, preparing for his next kill. It wouldn't take long before he turned his effort on Blackberrypaw, and she, too, would join in the fate of her fellow comrades.

Forcing down her anger and hatred for these rogues, she scampered into the shadows of the bramble walls of camp, her dark pelt hiding her well. Here, she knew, she'd be safe. For now. Yet for the moment, Blackberrypaw was forced to gaze upon the massacre that was taking place, in her own home. She saw Foxclaw fall, Silverpaw ripped to shreds, Marshkit squealing as claws descended upon his tiny grey form. It was all she could do not to look away. She couldn't look away. She had to find someone.

Her golden eyes rested upon a stocky ginger tabby, his golden eyes flashing as he brought down his attacker. There! Quietly, she slipped out of the shadows and scampered through the clearing, trying to avoid tussles of screaming cats, hoping that she would not be seen through the fight. She knew it would be certain death if she was caught. She was so close now, her mentor's ginger pelt only tail-lengths away.

Suddenly, her tail burst in a frenzy of pain as needle-point fangs ripped into tissue. Screaming, she turned to see another rogue, with a firm grip on her tail. She unsheathed her tiny claws, and raked the empty air, trying unsuccessfully to land a blow on the enemy. A gravelly laugh growled from his throat, as he pulled the young apprentice closer, before raising a claw to land a powerful blow. Blackberrypaw knew, in an instant, that if his mark were to hit true, it would be fatal. Thinking quickly, she turned around to nip the paw that held her captive, loosening his grip enough to scamper away between his front paws.

Yowling in fury, the rogue whipped around, muscles tensing for a pounce. Trapped in a corner, Blackberrypaw could only watch as he crouched, preparing to strike.

_This must be what a mouse feels lik_e Blackberrypaw thought.

Suddenly, her feeling of terror was overcome by surprise as a ginger pelt knocked over the crouched figure. Blackberrypaw straightened up, her fur bristling, courage renewed.

"Snakeroot!"

The senior warrior looked up, his claws pinning the intruder down. "Blackberrypaw!" he yowled, "Get away from here! You'll get hurt!"

"But I want to help!"

Snakeroot lunged off the enemy, grabbing Blackberrypaw by her scruff and placing her into the brambles. "Stay here!" he hissed, "This isn't your battle."

Blackberrypaw wanted to protest, but the look in his amber eyes showed fear and anger, unfamiliar moods changing on his face, telling her that what he said was true. She nodding slightly. He smiled, running the tip of his tail down her spine. "Be good, my little warrior." he whispered softly in her ear. Then, he stepped back, ready to plunge himself into the clearing, to resume fighting. He glanced over his shoulder, and nodded. Then yowls filled her ears once more.

Then her world turned black.

ShadowClan were no match for them.

* * *

A new house was being prepared. It's old occupants gone long ago, curious new twolegs soon moving in, along with their cat.

Peaches.

She was a amber tabby, her fur long and sleek with loving strokes, her stomach plump from excess fish and food. She was used to the cuddles and caresses of her twolegs, the sleep and warm sunshine. She never thought of where that sunshine came from, or where her twolegs would go during the day. She didn't worry about those things. Why trouble yourself, she always told herself, with mysteries unknown, when you have everything you need right in front of you nose?

Peaches even liked to be content with the fact that there was only one of her kind, only one sleek, purring creature with four delicate pink paws, glowing eyes and a long tail that, when waved, made a graceful _swish-swish_ sound. Yes she was content with what she had, and nothing ever seemed to change, which was exactly the way Peaches liked it. Until one day, her twolegs packed up their things, shoved her into a cage, and moved somewhere else.

She did not like this. Not at all.

Peaches yowled her protest, agitating her owners, but nothing she could do would make them change their mind. She even tried to get their attention by refusing their soft strokes and yummy food. But her lack of self-control made her soon cave in to cat-mint mice and fresh salmon. _They can do whatever they want,_ she resolved, chewing thoughtfully on a tough piece of fish, _It's not like I care._

Yet the more Peaches found out about her new home, the more she doubted her self-assurance. First was the space of this new nest. It was bigger, more airy. She could almost hear her meows bounce off the wide walls, the air get exceptionally chilly without the close body heat. There were more windows, wide, with minimal panes to let in the outside world. Not wanting this bothersome worry to intrude her luxuriant way of life she would keep away as far as possible from the gaping holes. And successfully, she kept the outside out. But for how long?

Apparently, not very long.

Her twolegs, spotting her nervous behavior, tried habilitating Peaches to the world beyond the walls of the nest. They picked her up and cuddled her, always with a window nearby for a clear view. And once and awhile, they would walk her outside, in the comfort of their arms. She shied away from it, hiding her face in their arms, but every so often, she would peek at the world she forbade herself to look at. And she was amazed.

Wide, blue sky, wider and bluer than any ceiling Peaches had ever seen.

Lush, green grasses, more green and real to her than the colors on the variety of pelts her twolegs had.

Splashes of color from flowers more lively and cheerful than the bouquets that sat upon the kitchen counter.

All these things amazed Peaches, but the trees amazed her the most. She raised her head, until her neck hurt, just to see the tippy-tops of the towering giants. She also noticed that many of the flowers on the ground also seemed to nest in the trees. This puzzled her, as she wondered how they could climb the trees, until she realized that they must fly, in the dead of night, to nest to prickly branches.

She had many other silly explanations for the wonders she saw around her, deciding that ants drag food home to their burrows to eat it all themselves, growing fat, before losing it all the next day, or birds had many different colored pelts, like her twolegs, that they exchanged with other outfits whenever they felt like it. She had explanations for the changing sky, the smooth grey objects, shaped in distorted balls, that looked hard and rough. She thought of these explanations to stop this new world from overwhelming her, from dominating her and making her scared. It was Peaches way of saying that she was not afraid of it, however much her heart contradicted her thoughts. It was then that, unaware, Peaches' attitude changed towards this new place. Soon, she longed to romp outside, to feel the grass under her delicate pink paws, to brush up against the rough bark of the trees with her glossy, smooth pelt. She was soon determined to explore this world on her own.

Yes, the outside changed Peaches. Much.

Yet for better or for worse is still undecided.

* * *

Ten million pinpricks of light shone down on the RiverClan camp, illuminating the clearing with soft starlight. _Our ancestors. _Frostflower sighed. She searched the heavens. She knew her mother was up there, somewhere, looking out for her. Silently, she wished she were here, to see her, on this night, during her vigil.

Quickly, she thrust the thought out of her head. She was a warrior now. Her name was Frostflower, not Frostpaw. She shouldn't be longing for her mother like a lost, forlorn kit. But despite her demands to mend, her heart was still broken from the loss of her greatest mentor, Morningsong, a teacher to her and her brother, Wildsky. She glanced over at his pale sand-coloured pelt. He noticed, and he smiled, giving her a wink with one of his deep-blue eyes, before returning to survey the camp. She felt glad of his commitment to his clan, but she felt sure that there would be no trouble for RiverClan tonight. Yet Frostflower still kept half her mind on listening for intruders. The other half was elsewhere.

The warm night was peaceful; everything you'd expect for a early-summer evening. Crickets chirped in the tall rushes, harmonizing with the frogs and the swift flowing stream nearby. The wind seemed to pick up the wandering part of Frostflower's mind, carrying it to the edge of the ShadowClan border.

Immediately, her brow furrowed, as she tried to think of the reason for ShadowClan's restfulness. They had been patrolling their border more frequently, and their attitude seemed to become more and more hostile. Then, suddenly, the sunset patrol reported back with stale markings from the ShadowClan border. Not like them at all.

Obviously, something must have happened in ShadowClan. It was not like Shadowstar to lose interest, unless it was a opportunity for mpre land. Yet, ShadowClan and ThunderClan were allies. It seemed unlikely that they had broken that tie in the last half-moon.

So what was it?

"Nothing for us to worry about." Frostflower's former mentor, Rushbrook huffed, when she pestered him about it earlier. "As long as they keep away from our borders, it's fine with me."

Yet despite all his assurances, Frostflower was still unsure. ShadowClan had always been a rowdy group, always up to mischief. The new warrior wouldn't be surprised if the dark clan tried to pull another trick on them. She reminded herself to be aware of ShadowClan.

Suddenly reminded, she straightened up, and glanced around, frightened, for a moment, that she had left her guard down and endangered her clan. No, the still quiet and calm lay over the clan as before. She breathed a sigh of relief, and glanced at the horizon, where thin streaks of light promised sunrise a few moments away. Her vigil was almost over.

As almost in response, Frostflower noticed a moving shape near the entrance to the warrior den. The slim dark-grey shape of Riversong emerged, before followed by Rushbrook, Skyspirit, and Cloverfur. The deputy, after a quick glance to make sure her clanmates were up for the dawn patrol, pelted across the clearing to Frostflower and Wildsky.

"Greetings, warriors." Riversong's eyes gleamed with happiness for the two cats, with a special mother-like affection toward Wildsky, who had been her apprentice. She dipped her head. "You are relieved of your duties."

Wildsky exhaled, as if he was holding in his breath the whole night. Frostflower touched noses with her brother.

"You did great." she purred, "What a lucky sister I am."

"Same here." he smiled, "Brother, I mean."

Riversong laughed. " You must have had a long night." She gestured to the Warrior den. " You can rest, if you'd like. I'll make sure you get a good spot."

Frostflower nodded, fatigue suddenly overwhelming her. As she followed the deputy and her brother, she glanced one more time at the fading stars.

_Can you see me?_ she thought, _If you can, mother, please make me be the warrior you want me to be._


	4. Chapter 2: Unpleasant Surprises

Silence.

That was what Blackberrypaw woke up to. It was not the sunlight streaming through the pine needles overhead, or the coolness of the breeze ruffling her black fur. It was the silence that enveloped her that awoke the young apprentice.

Something was wrong.

Blinking away the covers of sleep, Blackberrypaw tried stumbling to her paws, swaying dizzily and unsuccessfully trying to keep her balance. Suddenly, her paws collapsed beneath her, and she found herself in a frustrating heap. She moaned. Her head thumped with pain, her pads ached with soreness, muscles trembling with fatigue. She rubbed her paw across her forehead, feeling a long gash, sticky with blood, dirty with grit. Quickly, Blackberrypaw cleaned most of the dirt out of her wound. When she finished, she stretched, back arching, grimacing against the pain that racked her tiny figure. It was only then did she look around.

She was sitting at the bottom of a small ridge, not more than a couple tail-lengths high. Towards the top, she spotted the bramble barrier of camp, ripped and torn like a savage wound. She must have fell out of camp, hitting her head on the rocks that now so painfully stabbed her poor feet. She wiped her paw over her wound self-consciously. It could have been worse.

Suddenly, her mind was filled with images of the night before, the fighting, screaming, yowling. Blackberrypaw's eyes squeezed shut in an effort to block out the horrible memory. But it still roared inside her head, along with a faint whispering…

_Be brave, my little warrior._

Snakeroot! Blackberrypaw struggled to her paws, her tail fluffed out behind her for balance. She had to see if he was all right. If he was still... alive. Blackberrypaw shook her head. She wasn't going to worry about that right now. She had to focus her attention on getting back to camp.

Tottering on her paws like a new-born kit, Blackberrypaw was able to stumble a few paces to the side of the ridge, before looking upwards towards the top. She tried to scramble back on top of the shallow step, but her weak legs wouldn't hold her up for long. She sat, frustrated. Blackberrypaw would have to walk around, and look for a lower place to enter the camp. She would never make it, not in her weakened condition.

Ginger fur flashed at the edge of her vision, and Blackberrypaw's head whipped to the side, trying to catch another glimpse of the familiar pelt. Yet, it was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, she saw it again, but when she looked closer, nothing seemed to be there. Her apprehension quickly gave way to a spark of anger. He was taunting her!

"Snakeroot!" she yowled, bitterness edging her voice, "This isn't funny!"

_Be brave, my little warrior._

His words were closer this time, more to her right. Blackberrypaw got up once again, and started moving towards the voice. She brushed aside the sparse undergrowth that dotted the forest floor, agonizingly aware that she was heading away from camp. The voice whispered again, farther away.

_Blackberrypaw... _It was only a faint whisper now.

Blackberrypaw's anger turned to fear that she was to be left alone in this unfamiliar territory. She scampered forward, wincing as her legs stung as if on fire.

"Wait up!" she cried, helplessly hearing the voice fade away, "Snakeroot, don't leave me!"

She dodged trees, tripping through the pine-needle strewn forest floor, all the time keeping a ear cocked. She couldn't lose him. Not now.

She was so intent on following her mentor, that she didn't see what was in front of her until, suddenly, she stumbled upon something.

No, not something.

Someone.

* * *

No one noticed the open door.

It stood ajar, a breeze softly bringing in the scents of outside. It was an opportunity to join the world, to frolic in the unfamiliar wonders. The outside world beckoned for someone to come and enjoy it's sunny bliss.

No one noticed the open door.

No one, that is, except Peaches.

It was the first time she had ever been outside without the protecting arms of her owner around her. The first step had been the hardest. The part of her that was still true kittypet called out for her to turn back, to go inside, where the things would stay normal, predictable, safe. But it was too late. Freedom of the outdoors had already awoken a deep instinct, one that is found in every cat, and is always there, no matter how deep you hide it from your heart. Yes, it had wiggled inside Peaches heart and burned in her mind with the intensity and longing to join in this unexplainable world.

Just one step, and the beast had awoken.

Just one step, and she was enveloped in the independence, and in her mind vanished the memory of the twoleg nest behind her.

Everything was different on the ground than in the arms of man. Although Peaches had expected that, she was still surprised that the ants were bigger, the horizon smaller, and the trees towering higher than she had ever imagined. The grass felt cool to the touch, the morning air wistful.

And what was that?

A flash of yellow and white, a butterfly fluttering through the air. A curiosity never before felt, her inner instinct reacting, as, by reflex, she swung her paw, smacking the butterfly to the ground. Her small pink nose nudged the grass, as she examined the tiny creature that she had only before seen from her perch by the window. Such a pretty little thing. The wings fluttered slightly and she sneezed. Tickly, too. Bending down to look at it again, her nostrils were overwhelmed with a smell of wind and clouds and flower buds. Again, by instinct, she realized the scent must originate from the delicate butterfly.

She looked around the yard again in a new light. Her nose inhaled the smells of beetles crawling underneath the ground, furry critters scurrying through the underbrush. Leaping through the rhododendrons brought on a sweet scent, and she basked in the morning breeze, which brought her gifts of curios scents from afar. She soon discovered that by holding her mouth open a bit gave her a even better sense of smell. Muscles relaxing, instinct fading, she welcomed this new ability. She could smell everything; flowers and trees, breeze and sky, beetle and...

What was that?

A blend of dirt, and leaves, milk and just a smidgen of blood reached her nostrils. Intrigued, her amber eyes scanned the tiny yard, trying to find the source of the scent.

"Why, Bonjour, _mon petit ami._"

A voice from above startled Peaches, as she leapt in surprise, fur bristling. Strange. Her fur never had done that before. Forcing herself to relax, she turned to lick her shoulder, grooming her fur flat again. She didn't like to be always afraid, always tense. Was this what it was like to live in this world, to always be afraid of your shadow? If it was, she wasn't quite so sure she wanted to stay.

"_Relâcher, mon ami_" The voice rumbled, not unpleasantly. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

The owner of the voice seemed pleasant, but he was still out of sight. Turning around, she glanced around the yard to try to spot the mysterious person.

"Who are you?" she asked, curious. "Where are you?" A million questions zoomed around her mind. Why was he speaking so funny? How did he get here? Who was he?

_What_ was he?

"Relax, _mon cherie_, no need to get your tail_ dans un enchevêtrement_." the voice purred. _Purred?_ "I'm _en haut ici_... up here"

Taking a step back Peaches could see the stranger, balancing precariously on the fence post above her.

"_Bonjour, mon petit ami._" he welcomed.

Peaches gasped in surprise.

Delicate black nose.

Curious sky-blue eyes.

Long, sleek tan and brown fur.

Brown tail that _swish-swished_.

Not quite the same, but very, very similar. Peaches took a step back, her eyes wide. No, it couldn't be...

It was another.

Just like her.

* * *

"Frostflower!"

The silver she-cat turned to see the light-brown tom leaping nimbly across the river, on top of the slippery wet rocks that only jutted a fraction of an inch above the water. His tapered tail leisurely skimmed the stream, causing delicate ripples that lasted only a moment, before they were swept up by the current.

"Hey, Wildsky," She greeted her brother by touching her nose lightly with his. "Find anything important?"

"No." His golden gaze dimmed in disappointment, "WindClan is respectfully staying in their territory." Wildsky sniffed, "Like they would come over here anyways. After all RiverClan has done for them..."

Frostflower nodded, "But loyalties can change course as swiftly as the river. We must always be on our guard." Teasingly, she ran her tail across his damp pelt. "And something tells me you weren't just checking border markings."

Wildsky shook the water from off his pelt. "What's the matter with taking a dip in the stream now and then? It's not going to hurt anybody!" His eyes gleamed, "And you should see it, Frostflower! All the fish have come back! We won't ever starve again!"

"Or at least not until Leaf-bare comes!" she laughed, "Now come on, lets catch up with the rest of the patrol."

"Right." Wildsky shook his pelt one last time before plunging into the rushes, his tail tip twitching teasingly.

Smiling, she took off after him, pushing through the rushes, her powerful paws thumping the ground in a vain effort to catch up to her brother. But no matter how hard she tried, he was always one step ahead of her. A pang of sadness pierced her heart. She had noticed that recently. How Wildsky had become better at everything; Running, Swimming, Hunting...

Loving.

Frostflower had tried to ignore the looks her brother had been exchanging with Cypressfur, a tawny RiverClan she-cat with a charming smile. Frostflower tried to ignore the way she had wriggled into her brother's heart, leaving her out in the cold. No matter what she did, it was nearly impossible to keep Wildsky closer any longer. He was growing into a warrior. He had no time for sisters. Not anymore.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted with a flash of a tawny pelt. A heavyweight landed on Frostflower, and the RiverClan warrior soon found herself lying breathless on the marshy ground, scrabbling for a paw-hold, franticly trying to uproot her attacker.

Suddenly, her thoughts were rushed back to her brother. Where was he? Was he, too, ambushed? Was he about to walk into an attack? She had to warn him.

Frostflower opened her jaws to call out, but a small paw forcibly kept her jaw down.

"Shhh!" Her attacker hissed, "Do you want to ruin Troublepaw's fun?"

Eaglepaw.

Frostflower sighed, pushing the apprentice off of her. Standing up, she shook loose off the loose moss that clung to her fur. "Nice try." she purred, licking down a tuft of fur that had kinked out of place, "For an apprentice." She flicked her tail over his ear, but despite her jibes, Eaglepaw looked displeased.

"I won't be an apprentice for much longer!" He stepped away fro her touch. "Cloverfur says that I will be made into a warrior in about a moon!" Proudly, he stood up to try to reach eye to eye with Frosflower, "And then, I'll be a warrior, just like you!"

Frostflower smiled. Suddenly, she remembered her brother. "Hey Eaglepaw," she asked, "Where's my brother? Or are you just going to hold him hostage until my fur falls out?"

Eaglepaw glared defiantly at Frostflower before glancing passed her into the brambles beyond. "Hey, Troublepaw!" He called, "Did you catch him?"

Troublepaw's tabby head popped up from behind the bracken. "You bet I did!" he meowed, voice muffled as if his jaws were full of something.

"Ouch!" Frostflower heard Wildsky moan from the cover of the undergrowth, "Troublepaw, I'm pretty sure you can let go of my tail now."

A slight scuffle and Troublepaw emerged from the midst of the rushes, a grin on his face. "I sure got him good!" He boasted, "Didn't even suspect I was coming! Silence is the key." He crouched, demonstrating his skills.

"Yeah, and now my tail's going to be sore in the morning." Frostflower's brother emerged to sit beside Troublepaw, giving his tail a few tentative swipes, "Where's the rest of the patrol?"

"They went back to camp." Eaglepaw stated, "Mosspelt got bitten by a rat over by the ShadowClan border, and they wanted to make sure that she got some herbs for it." He nudged his friend's shoulder, "Cloverfur said to come back and fetch you."

"Well then, let's get going." Wildsky grumbled, "For all I know, Swampfoot might have to look at my tail as well as Mosspelt's paw!"

Troublepaw and Eaglepaw hardly waited until Wildsky finished his sentence before they bounded down the bank, their paws kicking up grit and sand. Frostflower sighed and smiled at her brother, her tail twitching for him to follow her. Soon, both brother and sister soon were crossing the stream onto the island that served as the RiverClan camp.

"Is that Moonfeather?" Wilddsky squinted against the late New-Leaf sun. A white and grey tabby cat was hurriedly picking her way along the bank, her mouth full of herbs. Every so often, some leaves would fall out of her mouth and she would impatiently stop to pick them up before moving on again.

"Hey, Moonfeather!" Frostflower meowed. "Here, let me help you." She bounded forward to pick up a few scattered herbs that had fallen to the ground.

Moonfeather paused for a moment to put down the plants before replying. "Thank you so much!" The apprentice sighed, "I have to get these to Swampfoot right away. We simply don't have much time..."

Wildsky wrinkled his nose against the strong, tangy smell. "But aren't these are herbs for newborn kits?" He stammered. "There aren't any queens in the Nursery now!"

"There will be soon enough!" Moonfeather retorted, "Now hurry up with those herbs. Riversong won't wait all day, you know."

"Riversong?" As Frostflower clutched the thyme in her jaws, Wildsky continued with his questions. "She can't be kitting! She's a _deputy_!"

"Well, tell that to her, then." Moonfeather growled. She glanced at the sun placed high in the sky. "We better hurry. Oh, I hope Swampfoot isn't mad I didn't bring any feverfew. Kits always come at the worst time of the year for herbs, don't they?" She quickly picked up the rest of her herbs. "Come on! Both Swampfoot and Riversong won't wait all day!"

The trio trouped through the entrance to the camp hurriedly, and emerged into a cluttered clearing. Cats were crowded around the Nursury entrance, trying to see if the rumors were true, if their own beloved Riversong had broken the rules. Frostflower and Moonfeather raced across the clearing, pushing their way through pelts, Wildsky still trailing them, questions still tumbling from his mouth.

"Moonfeather!" he called, "Who is the father?"

Nearest to the light-brown tom, Troublepaw grumbled, "She's not telling anybody. And neither is Swampfoot." He looked dejected, shoulders hunched.

"It's not that hard to figure it out anyways, Troublepaw." Eaglepaw replied cooly, "I'm pretty sure I know who the tom is."

"Who?" Frostflower, finished with delivering her herbs to Swampfoot, sat beside Wildsky, "Who is it then?"

Eaglepaw didn't say anything. Instead, he motioned toward a pale cat who was standing by the den, fur prickled, ready to attack any threat towards his mate or kits.

A pale cat, like early morning fog.

The cat everyone knew so well, even cats from other clans. They should. He was the RiverClan leader.

A pale white cat.

Icestar.


	5. Chapter 3: The Beginnings of Hostility

"Who do we have here?"

A heavy paw crushed Blackberrypaw's back, pinning her to the ground. Her face full of dirt, she was still confused on what happened. Running, finally catching up to her beloved mentor, and then… this. Pinned down by a badger of a cat. Growling, she clawed the ground in front of her, her neck trying to twist so that her fangs had a good chance of sinking into soft cat flesh.

"Another one? I though we killed them all." The voice was definitely male, with a familiar deep roughness, like someone gargling gravel, "I guess we left one."

"Get off me, you filthy piece of fox-dung!" She spat, fur bristling. She aimed another swipe behind her, yet since she wasn't able to see clearly where her target was, she repeatedly missed. Frustration overwhelmed her, and she hissed, tail lashing. She was self-conciously aware that her neck was exposed, an invitation for any cat wanting to kill her. She unsuccessfully tried to push the heavy cat off her. Escaping a fight only to be killed by a sorry excuse for a rogue! _Wonderful._ she thought _Just wonderful._

As if reading her mind, her captor replied. "Wonderful that you happened to walk into me." the growl had risen to an angry snarl. "A few steps more and you probably would've attacked our camp." Paws pushed her face further into the ground, "How many little friends you got there, hiding in the shadows? Five? Ten?"

"What are you talking about, mouse-brain?" she hissed, another strong paw press deep into her back. "It's just me, no one else. Or are you too dim-witted to figure out that you've ruined everything?"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere." The words had softened, but were still fierce. "And be you an enemy or no, we all have a way to deal with tresspassers!"

Suddenly, Blackberrypaw felt jaws close down on her scruff as the stranger picked her up off the ground. "Let go of me!" she protested. Her paws dangled in the air as she squirmed, trying to loosen the grip that held firm. No paw-holds and the fact that she was facing away from her foe made her attempts fruitless. She felt overwhelmed. _I guess this is it._ She sighed to herself, falling limp in his jaws, staring down to the claws that, she guessed, were about to tear her apart. And, only then, did she realize what about this fierce anger and strength felt so familiar to the young apprentice. Looking down, she could glance at his paws and she gasped.

They were coal-grey.

The same coal-grey that covered the ShadowClan deputy with the inky blackness of death.

It was him.

And he was one of them.

And that could only mean one thing.

ShadowClan had been defeated.

Fire surged in her heart, as loyalty and sorrow for her clan overwhelmed her. With a screech, she scrabbled with her claws until she was able to get a good shot at his jowl. A firm rake, and she was dropped, falling down, down, only to collapse in terrific pain at his feet.

"Why, you little savage!" he hissed, blood welling from the deep scratch, "I ought to have not wasted time to finish you off." He crouched, "No matter. I'll just kill you now."

Snarling, he pounced, claws unsheathed, ready to kill. But just as quickly, Blackberrypaw rolled over, as her former captor landed on a pile of pine needles. She had to get away, before she suffered the same fate as her clanmates.

He was back up again now, seething with anger. If she was to get away, it needed to be soon, before anger became fuel for power. Blackberrypaw stumbled to her paws, glaring defiantly at her foe, senses pricked for a way of escape. It was him, all right. She could remember the stocky build, the taunting smile. She could remember it anywhere.

Suddenly, a voice rung out from behind the grey tom, urgent and full of authority.

"Crowsong!"

Three cats were racing through the bramble thicket, eyes wide and claws unsheathed. Blackberrypaw's foe turned to look at these new arrivals. And then, she saw her chance.

Bracing herself against the pain, she leapt past the unannounced visitors, paws drumming the floor as she swerved past the last cat and into the thicket, back the way the others had come. But not before she saw the enemy's amber eyes stretch in surprise. She smiled as she raced through the forest in grim satisfaction. She had done it. Her first fight and she had gotten away safely.

Or so she thought.

"Attack!" came the cry from behind her, fury and vengeance edging the voice. Blackberrypaw grimaced. She could only guess who owned that voice. Suddenly, cats started yowling from in front of her, battle cries, cries for blood. Blackberrypaw stumbled in surprise, forcing her paws to swerve to the side. But a gnarly root, wrapped around the ground, made her trip and fall head-over heels. She tumbled into a clearing, where there were less trees, and sunlight dappled the forest floor. Blending in with the shadows, were heavy built cats, their teeth bared, hackles raised, and ready for attack. They all took a step forward, spreading out, almost as if they were... protecting something. Blackberrypaw could only just glance at the forest floor behind them, and she gasped.

There were others.

Past these cats were others, lying on the ground, flanks still, eyes glazed.

Instantly, she knew who these others were. Yes, in fact, she had lived with them all her life.

ShadowClan.

It was all of ShadowClan..

And they were all dead.

* * *

Now, most cats don't realize that there comes a point in anyones life that good and evil battle each other in the deep depths of the mind. This is what usually decides the goals and personalities of the cat, and soon after the victor has won, their feelings toward things are molded around one goal in life, one point in which they will strive to reach. And the reason why most cats are unaware of this occurring is that the average cat will experience this when they are quite young, and unable to remember special details. Peaches, however was different. Her battle wasn't won yet, for the starting point of all these battles starts when a small, tiny instinct, usually unable to detect at first, is aroused. Peaches, isolated from the world and such, hadn't fought that fight yet. So you might imagine how might she be feeling at this time, when she has come face to face with another of her own kind; Peaches, in fact, was terrified.

"What are you?" she finally asked, barely able to keep her own voice from quivering.

The stranger laughed, "I believe the _approprier la_ question is '_Who_ are you'." He smiled, "But it's justified, just the same." He stretched, his muscles faintly rippling under his tan pelt. He was not broad-shouldered, but lithe and just a bit on the plump side. His whole body was a tan, with darker points on his ears, tail, paws, and face.

He leaped down from the fence, landing gracefully, before sitting up, giving his chest a thoughtful lick, before adding. "Pippin, _à votre service_." He dipped his head, respectively, "And who may you be, _mon ami_?"

She wanted to reply eagerly, but something held her back. She remembered something, and stepped back, feeling her fur bristle just a touch. Something inside her told her that some things weren't to be trusted. "You still haven't told me what you are." she said warily.

Smiling, Pippin flicked his tail over Peaches ear. "Don't be so rude." he purred, "It doesn't become you well."

Peaches eyes widened as she noticed her fretful state. She leaned over to lick her bristled fur down. "Still, " she meowed between licks, "I would like to know who you are."

Pippin shrugged, "Maybe I will, _si vous me dites yours_"

Peaches looked up, confused and a mite curious, "What did you say?"

"I said that I will if you tell me who you are."

Peaches eyed Pippin, curiosity tugging at her heart. Finally, she replied.

"I am Peaches, the one and only."

"The one and only?" Now it was Pippin's turn to be confused. "The one and only of what?"

Peaches never thought much about the title she had given herself. Mainly, she just liked the sound of it. But now, thinking back to her isolated days as an indoor kittypet, she remembered. "I'm the one and only one of my kind. I'm the one and only one of..." she paused for a second before replying, "Me."

The stranger made a tiny sound in his throat; it took Peaches awhile to recognize it . Her fur bristled again. He was _laughing_ at her!

"_Oh non_, Peaches," he purred, "If you are the one and only, then who am I?"

Peaches flicked an ear in irritation, "You were just going to tell me that." she retorted.

"_Désolé_, you are right." Pippin sat on his haunches, curling his dark-tipped tail around his front paws, "Very well then, I will tell you this. I am one of the same kind of the One-and-Only-One." His eyes twinkled merrily, "I have whiskers, a tail, four paws, just like you. Tell me, have you not noticed that?"

Peaches looked down at the, her chest burning as curiosity slowly replaced fear. Sitting there a long time, she finally looked up, her eyes staring into Pippin's. "If you are me, and I am you" she murmured, "Then who are we?"

"We, _mon ami_, are cats." Pippin meowed, matter-of-factly.

A pain burned her chest, fear slowly nibbling at her heart. "And are there others?" she whispered.

He nodded, "_Oui_, there are others." He motioned in the direction of the fence, "My brother lives with me, and I know there are plenty other house-cats in other houses. But," Pippin narrowed his pale blue eyes, "You will have to watch out for the forest cats."

Forest cats?

"What do you mean?" Peaches looked up at Pippin, puzzlement edging her pale yellow eyes, "Who are they?"

"Only cats that live beyond the safety of the houses." Pippin answered the question cooly, "They eat bones and kits, or so my mother told me."

Peaches eyes were wide, "Do they ever come here?"

"_Quelquefois_." Pippin pawed the air, as if he was pawing an unseen enemy, "They sometimes come to taunt the more vulnerable ones of us. But just show a little claw-action, and they'll leave you alone."

Peaches' mind was reeling, "Claws?"

"_Oui_, claws." He leaned forward, peering at her face, "You really are new here around here aren't you?" Pippin unsheathed tiny little sharp sticks at the tips of each paw, holding them up for her to see, "Don't tell me you never used them?!"

Peaches glared at Pippin, "Why would you expect me to?"

Pippin's claws scored the rough wood of the fence behind him, "_Tout le monde_, all cats, know how to use their claws." he meowed seriously, "If you want, I can teach you."

Anger boiled up inside Peaches, anger at her ignorance, at Pippin's boastfulness. "No Thanks!" she snapped, "Now, if you don't have anything better to do, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave."

"Remember, _mon am__i_, you're cuter when you're not angry." Pippin smiled, "I'll always be there if you need me." He batted a paw at her ears, playfully.

Peaches turned away. She didn't need him. She would never need him.

She heard the other cat sigh, but she did not look up.

"I guess this is good-bye then." Peaches heard Pippin mutter. A rustle, then nothing. Turning to look, all Peaches saw was empty air. The strange-talking cat was gone.

Peaches turned to the claw marks he had left in the wooden fence. Softly, her paws skimmed the indention, feeling the crisp, clear grooves. She looked at her paws, unsheathing the pin-pricks that were claws. Dull, but that could be fixed. She pawed a nearby tree trunk, leaving blurred marks. She looked at the mark, before looking back at her claws.

"Claws." she whispered, "Funny things."

* * *

The secret was out.

Finally.

Icestar couldn't help but feel relief. All those times, hiding from his clan, the ones who trusted him enough to allow him to lead; all over. Everything was in the open. There were no more secrets. Now, he could only see the effect of the shocking news spread throughout his camp like wildfire. But, he consoled himself, he couldn't do anything about it now, could he?

There was no need to call the necessary invitation for a clan meeting; everyone was already seated in the center of the camp.

Icestar leaped on top of the stump, landing with a bit of an ungraceful thump, before sitting, and curling his tail over his paws. His blue eyes were fearful as they searching the crowd, watching his clanmates' reactions. A few of the younger warriors and the apprentices were chatting eagerly about what would happen next; most of the senior cats were silent, their tails wrapped firmly around their front paws, eyes hard and distrusting. The queens had mixed emotions, some curious, some angry. But all had put themselves a good distance away from the outsider, the disobedient one; Riversong.

She laid in the entrance to the nursery, suckling three kits, one pale, like his father, the other two a tabby, one dark brown and one light grey. Riversong's face glared at her clanmates as if she was angry at their reaction to new life, and her brow was furrowed in thoughtfulness. Icestar sighed. His heart was nearly bursting with love for his loved-one, his soul-mate. He knew that they would want to have their very own deputy banished from the clan, forever or more. He was disappointed in his clan, the clan he grew up with, all his life, in whom he learned the precious ways of the warrior code. He should have known that the warrior code was everything to his clan, everything to their life.

But he really shouldn't blame them for wanting to drive out a cat who had broken the very rules they lived on. Icestar had ignored that fact, ignored the importance of the rules. And look where that got him.

He should have known.

Yet, looking at her, he could see the fear that tensed her sleek pelt, the dread that lingered in her eyes. She also knew what would happen. Left alone, with no warmth to provide life for her new-borns. Icestar knew he was afraid for her kits more than she was herself. But Icestar, however shameless it may be, cared for her more than anything else, even more than the three kits who lay by her side. His heart hardened. No matter what any cat said, Riversong was still to stay part of the clan. He would make sure of that.

But first, RiverClan must know of what was happeneing. Icestar held his tail high, waiting for silence. As chatter died down, he felt numerous pairs of eyes looking up to him, trusting him to make the right decision. But was he?

Icestar tried to keep the tremble out of his voice as he addressed his clan. "Cats of RiverClan," he began, and paused. What else was there to say? No cat would forget the facts. He couldn't deny what was happening. They would know.

"What's the matter with this, Icestar?" A shriek cut off Icestar's thoughts, coming from the outskirts of the group in the clearing. The white leader peered over the many cats to see the defiant face of Heronlake, a gray-muzzled tom. "How dare our very own deputy defy the warrior code?" The elder's neck fur bristled as he creakily got to his paws, his eyes meeting Icestar's, "How dare our very own leader defy it? How dare you lie to your own clan!?"

"We must do something immediately, Icestar!" Duckstream added from beside the elder, "Before StarClan punishes us all!"

This comment sent a ripple of apprehension throughout the cats, and suddenly, the clearing was loud once more.

"There is only one way to fix this!" Falconfur yowled; his lean, dark brown shape was the image of hostility. He took a menacing step towards Riversong, fangs bared, "We must destroy the one who disobeyed!"

No!

Icestar sprang from the stump, paws squishing through mud, as he thrust his way in between Falconfur and Riversong.

"No." He snarled, "We will consider this more before we decide." Icestar's heart fell. Was no cat safe from their very own kin? He felt Riversong tremble behind him. His heart hardened more; he would not let her die.

"I understand of your concern, Falconfur," he continued, controlling his voice, "But we must take care of what action we do." He nodded towards Heronlake, "I do agree we must take action, but it needs more thought. Why throw away a life after one rash decision?"

"But, Icestar!" A small voice rang out, and the leader glimpsed the young black-and-white form of Treepaw, "Doesn't StarClan decree that all disobediant cats who break the warrior code must be banished from the clan?"

Icestar's heart burned with guilt. He knew this. And everyone else knew that he knew it. Another thing ignored.

"Warriors and apprentices break the code all the time," Fishtail commented, her ginger tail waving in the breeze, "What's the difference is this one?"

"It is much different." A calm comment was thrown out into the crowd; it's owner, Swampfoot, seated in the entrance to the medicine cat's den. "But, whether or not it is serious or not, it is StarClan's choice on what to do, not ours."

Icestar nodded, "Let us get StarClan's say in this," he agreed. _Anything to keep her in camp for a few more sunrises._ He glanced over to his mate's huddled form, for a moment, before turning back to Swampfoot, "Half-moon is only a few moon-rises away, is it not?"

Swampfoot hesitated, before nodding. "Yes. I will venture to the Moonpool then, with Moonfeather, to see what StarClan says. But," The medicine cat's eyes narrowed, "We must obey whatever they agree on Icestar. It is not like StarClan to be forgiving for not following their decisions."

Icestar's heart clenched. He saw understanding in the old cat's eyes, and knew what he meant. But Icestar's vow still held. Even if StarClan said to kill the queen, he would not allow it. Yet, he nodded his consent, "Very well. This problem will not be discussed until StarClan speaks." He noticed his clan nodding their heads agreeably, and even Falconfur took a step back, anger cooled. He had made them happy. That was good. But he didn't want to just make them happy; he would do anything to make Riversong content and well cared for.

Anything.


	6. Chapter 4: First Impressions

**Ok! So this is the fourth chapter. :) Sorry for the wait, my Summer's been really busy. Thank Falcon for begging me to post this up, or it probably would never have made an appearance. xD Thank you Falcon! (Hopefully) my next chapter will be up sometime late late July or early August! :)**

She should be dead too.

It wasn't fair to be alive, while all whom you love perished.

She stood in front of a group of cats,

The ones who killed,

Lost, alone, afraid.

Fierce cats, who could rip the fur off her pelt,

And line their beds with it.

She should have run.

But she didn't and she doesn't.

She won't abandon them.

Wide eyed, she stared, golden eyes watchful of these frightening cats.

The brambles from which she came erupted with the bristled forms of the four cats from which Blackberrypaw had just escaped, cutting off her only way out. Trapped, it was either fight or die. She crouched, tail twitching, making sure that no cat could grab the chance to sneak up on her.

"Who is this?" A heavy-set she-cat approached her, the cats on the side making room to let her pass. Her amber eyes were blazing, her ginger fur bristled in hostility. She paced up to stare down at the little Blackberrypaw, who, despite her courage, cowered in fright.

The she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Who let this mangy kit into camp?" she growled, 'Who dare let one cat past the bushes?"

Blackberrypaw flattened her ears. Just because she was a young apprentice didn't make her a kit. She shouldn't be addressed as one. Opening her mouth to protest, she was quickly silenced by a harsh cuff on the ear from a cat behind her. This was too much.

Snarling she spun around to only be face to face with the rogue. The enemy. His amber eyes glinted as her bared his teeth at her, responding to the unanswered question.

"I did," He hissed, "The sneaky rogue was just too-"

"Can you not see?" The she-cat hissed, turning to the gray cat. "If one cat can pass through the guard, what's to stop many?" Her eyes glowered as she seemed to pierce the grey cat with a gaze, waiting, waiting for an answer.

Blackberrpaw crouched, wildly looking this way and that. A small opening, a weak spot, only big enough for a cat her size to squeeze through. Maybe... maybe...

"I'll double the guard." The tom said, "And send out scouting parties to make sure the underbrush is clear."

Aha! There! Blackberrypaw spotted a gap, just big enough to let her past.

The ginger cat leaned in close, radiating fury. "Can you not see that we can't spare any more cats?" she seethed, her teeth bared.

Crouching down, getting ready to spring, Blackberrypaw took one last glance to make sure their attention wasn't focused on her.

A golden tom stepped up beside the she-cat, interuppting both. "This isn't a rogue, anyways." he hissed, "Are you too mouse-brained to even see that?"

The she-cat nodded. "This is only a - "

Suddenly, Blackberrypaw sprang, racing towards the gap. So close to the exit, she leapt for freedom only to be bowled over by a streak of brown tabby fur.

She found herself on the ground, pinned down by a young cat. "Blackperrypaw!" he gasped, eyes widening, "Is that you?"

For a brief second, the black apprentice realized that the cat who pinned her down was Streakpaw. But just as quickly, she pushed the thoughts out of her head. It couldn't be Streakpaw. He was dead. The trees above her seemed to be swirling dizzily. She closed her eyes, clearing out the confusion that lingered in her eyes before facing the tabby rogue.

She hissed, "You took everything." Blackberrypaw managed to have the rogue roll off of her, before scrambling to her paws. "My Clan, my comrades." She lunged, trying to claw his shoulder, but inexperience made her miss her mark. But just as quickly, she got to her paws again. "My life!" she yowled. She made to lunge again, and this time, she would not miss.

"Shadowpaw!" the rogue growled, his eyes narrowing, "Come here!"

Two of them! Blackberrypaw's eyes narrowed. She could take them. But the trees swayed too much. She was beginning to lose her footing.

A smoke-tinted silver she-cat scampered up, claws unsheathed, fangs bared. Upon noticing Blackberryclaw, she growled in fury. "It's you." she snarled, running a paw over her head wound. Blackberrypaw winced, and struck out with her claw, missing once more. The silver cat jerked her head up, fur prickling. "At least this one's weak enough." she hissed, glancing once more at her head.

"Lets put her out of her misery." the rogue hissed back.

"NO!" Blackberrypaw yelled, scrambling to get away. But she was already pinned down.

"Just as I thought. Her cut. It's infected." She silver she-cat raked her paws along her cheek, before lunging for her throat. BLackberrypaw tried to struggle. But it was too late.

Oh how she hated the darkness.

* * *

Sunshine. Ah. Peaches purred contently, her body stretched out across the porch, her eyes closed. She soaked up all that sunshine the same way she'd seen her Twoleg soak up water with a sponge. Peaches was first to find usefulness for the warmth that radiated above. _Yes, _she thought, shifting slightly. It was bliss.

Until someone interrupted her.

"Hello?" the voice came from behind her, questioning and curious. Assuming it was Pippin, the lazy she-cat didn't move, blocking out the sound. _Let that foxdung tom do what he pleases,_ she thought to herself, _It's not as if I cared_. Yet all the same, she kept an ear out behind her, in case Pippin may try to attack her. She wouldn't be surprised if he did, after what she did the other day. _But, _she thought to herself, quietly unsheathing her newly discovered claws, and flashing them in the sunlight, _I'm not so unprepared now._

"Um, excuse me?" The voice asked again, this time a bit closer. She felt whiskers softly tickle her neck. Yet she still didn't move. Better to think she was sleeping.

"Is she dead?" A voice from above called out, and Peaches widened her eyes in shock. _Two_ Pippins? That couldn't be! Quickly, she reconsidered. She didn't even know if anyone of these cats might actually _be_ Pippin. She decided to keep her pose. _Maybe they'll go away_ she thought.

"Of course not!" Another voice meowed from behind Peaches, "She's probably still sleeping."

"That's all they do?" The first voice meowed, "Sleep all day?"

Peaches could hear annoyance in the response, "Remind me why Ravenstar prevented us from exploring the Twoleg place, again?" It went on without answer, "We should have done this much sooner, when you were brand-new apprentices."

"We had to go on hunting patrols, remember, Deepheart?" The second voice meowed, "They couldn't spare any extra cats."

"Right, right." Deepheart grumbled. "Hey, Brindlepaw. Why don't you try to see if you can't wake her up?"

Peaches felt a sharp prodding in-between her shoulder blades. Ears flicking back, she immediately leapt up, whirling around face-to-face with a tabby and white tom. Her sudden movements had startled the younger cat, she could tell. His ears flew back in alarm, and his fur was fluffed up so that he looked like one of the stuffed cats that lay on the beds inside her Two-leg nest. Peaches' eyes flickered to the other two cats, one a copper-furred she-cat perched on the porch reailing, who also looked alarmed. The third, the one the copper cat called Deepheart, was sitting coolly behind Brindlepaw, his black tail waving in the slight breeze.

"No need to afraid, kits." He sneered, giving Peaches a laughing gaze, "It's just a kittypet." The black cat took a few paces toward the tabby she-cat. She just stared at him warily.

"What's a kittypet?" Peaches finally asked, her tail twitching a little bit in anxiety.

The copper cat replied, answering almost as if she was talking to a kit younger than she, "A kittypet is a cat living with TwoLegs," she explained, "Sheltered and protected."

"Very good, Copperpaw," hissed Deepheart sarcastically, "You seemed to forget one of the most important rules of visiting the TwoLegplace." He turned to Brindlepaw, his whiskers twitching in amusement, "Would you care to remind her, Brindlepaw?"

The tom glanced warningly at Copperpaw before speaking. " Never associate yourself with Kittypets, Rogues or Loners as they can be a threat to the clan." He spoke quietly.

Copperpaw opened her mouth to argue, but then she snapped it closed and turned, looking at her paws.

The larger tom nodded, "Very good." He looked back at Peaches. "Kittypets are soft-hearted and easy to fool." His tail beckoned the copper she-cat over to him, "Copperpaw, will you demonstrate to Brindlepaw the inexperience of this cat?"

Her gaze jerked from the ground to Peaches, and the kittypet saw the anguish in her eyes, "But… but…" she stammered, "I don't know…"

"Do it!" he hissed. When she didn't move, Deepheart growled at the back of his throat, "Very well then. Let me show both you kits how to."

Peaches felt uneasy as the black tom stalked up to her, his tail twitching as if this was a game. The other two cats watched on with faces full of fear and a bit of curiosity. But when she felt his husky breath in her face, her gaze was riveted back to him.

"Hello, kittypet," he spat _kittypet_ menacingly, and she could see the teasing glint in his eye as he slowly circled her. "Tell me," he stopped to sit in front of her, and held up a paw, glinting with claws, "Have you ever used _these_ before?"

Peaches didn't reply, but glanced down at her own paws, slowly sheathing and unsheathing them. After discovering these claws the day she met Pippin, she had kept on scratching them against Pippin's mark until they were quite sharp. But no, she had never used them on anything other than wood.

"I thought not." He seemed to purr as he watched her glance at her paws. Suddenly, Deepheart made a quick move, leaping past Peaches, tearing a mark along her side with unsheathed claws, before landing on the other side, skidding a little bit down the porch.

It was over before Peaches could figure out that it started. Almost like a vision, or a dream – she had never seen a cat attack another before – and she would have thought it one if not for the gash along her side. It was seeping a red liquid that stained her fur with the same red. And it stung. Almost as bad as the shots she had when visiting the vet. She licked it, and smacked her lips at the saltiness.

"See, Copperpaw?" The black cat turned back to its companion, "Just ignorant creatures, these kittypets are."

Suddenly, Peaches fit two and two together. The arrogance, the ferocity, everything Pippin told her wild cats were, was exactly what these cats did.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked, "Are you, by any chance Wild Cats?"

The brindle tom snorted, glaring at her, "More like Clan cats."

_Clan Cats. _She thought the name unpleasantly. Certainly, after meeting them, her disposition of them dropped much farther than it did when Pippin told her about them. Did they enjoy torturing her kind?

"Brindlepaw," Deepheart continued, "Since you have been more than happy to speak to one of _them_, why don't you show Copperpaw how _easy_ it is to defeat one of her kind?"

He, like Copperpaw before him, stammered, "But… But it isn't fair!" he hissed, his voice low, "The warrior code says nothing about harming kittypets."

"It says to reject the kittypet life" Deepheart replied, "Isn't that what your supporting by doing this?"

"I… guess so." Brindlepaw murmured. Then, he padded up to Peaches, his head hung. Then, he looked into her eyes, mouthing the words "I'm sorry."

She hardly had a chance towonder what that meant before the young cat was a whirlwind of fur. She felt scratches, batters, bites inflicted to her all over. She yowled in pain and anger. The apology was dismissed in her mind as she feebly tried to fight back. Finally, it was all over, and Brindlepaw stood in front of Peaches, breathing heavily, but otherwise unharmed. Peaches, however, was in a world of pain, blood oozing from the many inflictions on her pelt.

Peaches felt angry. Why had they done this? These Clan cats must be cruel to harm cats that couldn't fight back. It was letting herself feel pain, while not being able to put up any resistance! Fury boiled up inside of her, and so while Brindlepaw turned to face his companions once more, she leapt, trying to complete the move that Deepheart so flawlessly inflicted on her.

It was almost perfect. She leapt to the right of the cat, extending a claw to her side, aiming a mite too high. Yet Brindlepaw, sensing her presence, turned to look, exposing his neck and before she knew it, an ugly gash was ripped across his throat.

She landed in a heap on the opposite side of him, and quickly leapt to her feet, snarling and hissing. But Brindlepaw wasn't looking at her. She found him lying on the ground, an enormous amount of blood spilling from his wound. Peaches' eyes widened, and she took a step back. His eyes were glazed, and after a few spasms, he lay still.

Silence reigned over the porch for a few seconds. Then Deepheart emitted a mournful yowl, pushing by the kittypet. He nudged the bindle body, whimpering in grief. Franticly, he licked the still body vigorously, but Brindlepaw didn't move. Turning on Peaches, he bared his fangs, eyes blazing.

"You!" he snarled, "My son is dead! You killed him!"

* * *

"They're beautiful," Frostflower breathed, eyes locked on the three lumps of fur. They were pressed up against their mother's flank, curled up in tiny, sleeping balls.

"Well" Riversong sighed, "You seem to be the only one who thinks so."

The two she-cats were lying in the nursery, their flanks brushing. The younger warrior had come to see Riversong after Icestar dismissed the meeting. Frostflower had always been close to Riversong before, almost as much as Wildsky, since the deputy had been both of their mother's sister, but in a time like this, she felt she was the only friend her deputy had left. No one else had even acknowledged the queen since she had birthed her kits. Wildsky even averted his eyes when Frostflower asked him to come see the silver queen, making up an excuse that he had to go hunting. It was only her, now.

Frostflower quietly nudged Riversong, and smiled. "It'll be ok," she whispered, "Icestar will make sure that things turn out right."

Riversong didn't answer, but closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Finally, she spoke, "Icestar will do anything to make sure I stay," she looked up, her light blue eyes edged with worry, "Even disobey StarClan."

"Would he really?" Frostflower asked.

She looked out of the nursery at the pale form that disappeared into the Leader's den. "Frostflower, all love-struck toms that have to make a choice are always blind to the right options." She turned back to her comrade, "They'll always take whichever option will save the she-cat he loves, no matter if it's foolish or not."

Frostflower snorted. "Then I'll never have a mate."

Riversong smiled, resting her tail-tip on the younger warrior. "You can't decide whether or not you want to fall in love." She said, "It just happens."

"Is that what happened with you?" Frostflower whispered.

"Did I fall in love?" she whispered, "Yes, I did. And I still am in love."

Frostflower cocked her head in question. "How do you know that you're in love, then?" she asked.

Riversong closed her eyes for a moment, remembering. "You'll know when the time comes," she said finally.

Suddenly, a kit squeaked, groping for its mother's touch. Riversong leaned forward and gave the kit a lick on top of its head. "Three kits," Riversong said to Frostflower, "Two toms and one she-kit."

"They're so cute!" Frostflower admired the kits, "What are you going to name them?"

"I haven't decided yet," The RiverClan deputy admitted.

Frostflower's ears perked, "Decide right now!" she begged excitedly.

Riversong smiled, before bending over to look at them. A tiny white tom, the same color as his father, scrambled out of the heap, tumbling onto the ground. He squeaked indignantly before looking up at his mother with blue eyes.

Riversong licked the kit. "Swampfoot says it's a miracle that he isn't deaf," she said, "He's seen many white-furred, blue-eyed kits that are." She glanced at him once more before deciding. "This kit will be named Blizzardkit." She meowed, "For his white pelt."

Frostflower nodded as the queen reached for a second kit, a silver marbled tabby. He didn't make a sound, instead flailed around in the air. Riversong put down the kit, and laughed. Both she-cats watched the silver tom romp around the nursery, splashing in the shallow water. Suddenly, he slipped, and cried out as he slipped and splashed into the puddle. But quickly, he was back on his feet.

Riversong smiled, "I will call this kit Ripplekit, for his love of water and silver coat."

Frostflower smiled along with her deputy, before reaching for the last kit, a dark brown tabby she-cat. Immediately, upon picking her up, the tiny kit reached up to the silver cat's muzzle, hooking in tiny claws.

Frostflower almost dropped the kit in surprise. Quickly she put her down, and removed her claws from her face.

Riversong didn't notice, and licked the kit on top of her head. The brown she-cat looked up at her with light-green eyes. "And finally, this kit, the smallest, will be called Leafkit," she decided, "For her eyes."

Frostflower agreed enthusiastically about the names. But as Riversong assembled the three kits together, the young warrior couldn't help but look across the clearing at the Leader's den, wondering what fates these kits would have.


	7. Interlude I

**I thought I had reached a good point in the story for an interlude. ^^ Sorry for the shortness, but I'll try to have another chapter up soon!**

* * *

The stars were sprinkled coldly overhead as Swampfoot treaded on sandy ground. The dark brown tom kept his pace steady, making sure that he kept a few tail-lengths from the lakeshore. The WindClan wind rustled his brown fur gently, and the moon was almost directly ahead, a perfect half-circle. He paused to glance at it for a moment, before continuing, a prick of fear beginning in the depths of his mind. _What will happen?_ He kept on thinking, _what will they say?_

Suddenly, a rustle in the undergrowth interrupted his thoughts. Swampfoot turned to see a sleek black cat emerge from the gorse, and the RiverClan cat recognized him immediately. He dipped his head respectfully. "Greetings, Stargazer" He meowed.

The black cat returned the gesture. "Greetings, Swampfoot," he replied, coming up beside the brown tom. His green eyes flashed in the moonlight. "Where is Moonfeather?"

"Cloverfur was bitten by a rat over by ShadowClan." He answered, "And it's starting to get infected. She stayed behind to keep an eye on her."

"Ah." Stargazer's grin was barely visible in the dark, "And how is the rest of your clan this moon?"

Swampfoot smiled, but he silently reminded himself to keep quiet about certain things. "Well." He answered, continuing to pad forward, "We have two new warriors."

Stargazer kept in pace with the tom, laughing a little. "And how are they liking their new warrior duties?"

"It's hard to tell." He glanced at the other cat, "And your clan?"

"We have three new additions to WindClan," he purred, "The birth went smoothly, and the kits, and the mother are all well."

"Kits are always a wonderful addition," He agreed.

They fell into silence for a while, until they reached the border of ThunderClan, and the two toms turned to pad up the hill. Swampfoot's ears were pricked as he scanned the slope in front of them. "I wonder where Shadewing and Thrushflight are this evening." He wondered aloud.

"I'm right here!" Came a voice up the slope. The moon faintly revealed a she-cat climbing down to join them. She shuffled down, watching so to not to trip. The white marks on her pelt seemed to glow as she came up to them.

"Finally," she breathed, "I've been waiting for you two."

"It's not even moon-high yet, Thrushflight." Swampfoot replied, "You didn't have to come so early."

"Shadewing's not with you?" Stargazer continued, glancing behind the ThunderClan medicine cat.

Thrushflight's eyes suddenly were lined with sorrow. She averted her gaze from the other cats, before replying, "It's best we wait for Shadowpaw instead."

"Why?"

She hesitated before continuing. "Shadewing… well, he's dead."

"What?" Stargazer asked, clearly astonished.

"What happened?"

The she-cat didn't have a chance to reply before they heard the sounds of Shadowpaw tripping up the slope. All medicine cats fell silent as she approached.

Upon reaching them, she glared. "What do you want?"

Swampfoot stepped forward, resting a tail-tip on her shoulder. "Shadowpaw, what happened?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing, ok?" she snapped, pulling away from his grasp and trudging higher up the slope. "Now come on, let's get this over with."

Swampfoot glanced bewildered at Thrushflight, who only shook her head sadly, before getting to her paws as well. "She's right. We better get going. It's almost moon-high."

The RiverClan medicine cat sighed. This night wasn't going as he had hoped for.

Little did he know that he had no idea.


	8. Chapter 5: Unfamiliar Faces and News

She couldn't see.

When Blackberrypaw first blinked her open her eyes, the very first thing she noticed was that, despite her eyes being opened, she couldn't see anything but a deep black. It was a strange sensation. She still felt level ground beneath her, and felt the warmth of the sun on her face, but she couldn't see any of her surroundings. _Am I blind!_ she thought frantically to herself. Unsteadily, she got to her paws. Something else was amiss. She breathed in, nose twitching. She couldn't smell anything either! _What happened to me?_

"Nothing." A firm voice spoke beside her, as if he had read her mind, "You cannot see, nor smell because you do not belong here."

"Where am I then?" She asked, annoyance edging her mew in an unsuccessful effort to try to hide the fear that had started to prickle her fur, "Why is this place so special that I can't hear or see it?"

"I can't tell you," the voice replied softly, "All I can tell you is that you aren't supposed to be here. This is not your place. At least, not yet."

It was a familiar voice, Blackberrypaw noticed, one that sounded like the flow of the lake, and the creak of the trees. It was one she hadn't heard for what seemed like moons. "Snakeroot?" She asked, quietly.

He purred, "Yes, it's me."

"Can _you_ see or smell?"

Blackberrypaw could detect some hesitation from the cat beside her. Finally, he answered, although cautiously. "Yes, Blackberrypaw. I can."

"Then how come I can't?"

His feathery tail touched her shoulder in comfort. "All will be answered in due time." He murmured, "Now, I am simply here to take you back to safety. In times to come I will be there to guide you as well, but sometimes in a different manner." Blackberrypaw felt his furry pelt brush up against hers. "Stay beside me, now," he whispered.

Despite the questions buzzing in her brain, she reluctantly walked, falling behind slightly to let him lead the way. There was no obstacles, it seemed, as they walked; no rocks or ledges to trip them up. She shuddered as she thought of what would have happened if she had tried to explore this mysterious place by herself; undoubtedly, she would have gotten lost.

As they went on, she could feel her senses slowly return; objects gradually protruded from the void before her and she could finally smell the tall oak and the birch trees that towered above her. But as her senses sharpened, Snakeroot seemed to draw farther and farther away from her touch. Before she could ask about it, he replied to her unspoken question. "You can see for yourself now." He mewed simply, "Sometimes you must look out for yourself."

She blinked at his prudence. He seemed to know about things before she had even spoken. Weird.

She was distracted from her thoughts by a sudden attention to her surroundings; her vision was much clearer for she could see leafy trees above and feel lush green grass beneath her paws. Bright, golden sunshine streamed from the sky, dappling her black coat, and the sky behind the sun was a bluebird blue. Never before had she ever seen something so beautiful. She looked around herself in amazement.

Her mentor smiled slightly. "This," he purred, "is what Greenleaf looks like."

"It's so…" Blackberrypaw struggled to find the words, "alive!" She had been born in the dark of Winter and never had seen Greenleaf before.

Snakeroot chuckled. "This is what ThunderClan territory will look like in a few quarter-moons." He reached down, looking at his small apprentice with a bittersweet expression. "I know you will enjoy it."

"With you of course." Blackberrypaw added, still enraptured in her surroundings.

Snakeroot sighed. "Blackberrypaw, I will not always be there. Not in the way you think."

The black apprentice was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He licked her ear in comfort. "All will be answered in due time." He repeated softly. His last words seemed to fade in her mind like an echo. Looking up in surprise, she could see that Snakeroot, as well as the tall trees and bright sun, had faded into a dark abyss.

_Not again!_ "Snakeroot!" She cried to the blackness, but the darkness seemed to muffle her voice. "Snakeroot!" She called again, despair in her voice. "I don't want to be alone!"

Last words wreathed around her, whispering in her ears. _You will never be alone, Blackberrypaw._

And then she saw light.

Blackberrypaw awoke to a harsh sun, filtered through the sparse canopy of foliage above. Wincing from the light, she rolled over to her side, groaning as, suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her, leaving what seemed her every nerve sore. Her whole body ached, the source of her pain seeming to come from the crown of her head.

Her slight movements caused someone a few tail-lengths away to perk up with relief. "Now, now," Said a soothing voice, which originated from the figure, "Don't squirm. We wouldn't want that wrapping to come undone. Though I am exceedingly happy you're awake. We were afraid you were walking the stars."

Blackberrypaw squinted, eyes focusing up at the cat that sat before her. It wasn't Snakeroot; she was a sleek she-cat, with splotches of black and orange-brown placed erratically along her tail, back, and forehead. Her green eyes glinted merrily in the mid-afternoon sun; a vast contrast to the dark, hostile cats Blackberrypaw had last seen before her meeting with her mentor. "Who are you?" She asked, quietly, a bit confused on what happened while she was unconscious. "And where is Snakeroot?"

The calico laughed slightly, in, what Blackberrypaw concluded, nervousness. And, to the apprentice's dismay, she avoided her question with another; "What's your name?"

"Blackberrypaw." The black cat said, puzzled on why the she-cat avoided her question. And, Blackberrypaw could tell that the calico wasn't really listening to whatever she said; she had already gotten to her paws, turning away to face a rocky wall behind her, a wall Blackberrypaw hadn't noticed until just that moment.

It wasn't a particularly unusual wall, except for the gaping, ragged hole in the middle, which had some sort of leafy drape covering it. The calico waved her tail at Blackberrypaw, before disappearing into the cave, calling behind her, "I'll be back in a minute!"

Blackberrypaw hissed under her breath. Why was the she-cat so evading? It was weird, like she seemed to be keeping something from her. _When she returns_, Blackberrypaw thought, stubbornly, _I'll ask her again._

Blackberrypaw pulled herself upright, wincing from her head. Tentatively, she reached her paw up, touching it lightly. She barely registered the leaves and cobwebs before she cringed, swiftly pulling her paw away as a wave of pain flowed through her, even though, she noticed, the intensity had ebbed. Whatever was swathed around her head were helping.

Suddenly, the calico reappeared, leaves gathered in her jaws. Blackberrypaw opened her mouth filled with questions, but before she could speak, the other she-cat had dropped her bundle and spoke quickly.

"These herbs will help you." She nudged them towards Blackberrypaw with haste. "They will ease the pain."

Blackberrypaw pushed them away. "But—"

"Eat it." Her tone suddenly got quite sharp, and she turned away abruptly. "You shouldn't disobey a medicine cat." She disappeared back into the cave.

Blackberrypaw resisted the urge to call after her, content at least with the information that the calico was a medicine cat. Staring down at the herbs, she sighed, and licked them up. Almost immediately, she felt tired. Laying her head down on her paws, she thought she saw the calico look back at her one last time, with a look of relief awash her face, before she slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

The rain was drizzling outside; a sudden afternoon thunderstorm whispering through the area reminded the inhabitants below that it was still there, with occasional muffled thunders from far off. The rain collected on the window, growing bigger as droplet after droplet joined, until it slipped down the frosty glass, leaving a watery trail behind. Peaches, on the dry side of the window, watched as the droplet and its trail ended, collecting at the windowsill out of sight. Beyond the glass lay the wild cat, his life source surrounding his still body like a scarlet puddle, the rain creating ripples in its otherwise calm surface.

She shuddered at the sight of him. _Did I really do that?_ She wondered with horror. She glanced down at her paws, unsheathing her claws that were still stained with blood. Proof._ But at least those other cats are gone._ She was assured by that. The clan cats had left quite quickly after she killed one of their kind, tails between their legs, ears flat against their skulls, and casting back wide-eyed looks. Almost as if they were _scared_ of her. Peaches wasn't quite sure if she liked being feared.

But she wished that her house-folk would find the dead cat and take it away, as well as the reminders of what she had done. But no, being ignorant as usual, they hadn't noticed it when the female glanced out the window and commented on the rain, nor when the male had grabbed his keys off the windowsill before both of them slipped out the door, driving away in their monster with scarcely a word in otherwise to their pet. No, they wouldn't notice it until at least sun-high tomorrow.

Maybe it was better. If her house-folk found the dead cat, they might lock her inside. And although she deeply regretted her actions, that one move with an out-stretched paw, it couldn't quell her love for being outside. Peaches could never go back to being a simple indoor house-cat now that she had a taste of what it was like outside.

She lashed her tail in frustration. What should she do? She looked back outside at the still figure and hissed in annoyance. She _knew_ what she had to do. It was simply a matter of doing it.

She leapt off the windowsill, padding over to the back-door. Leaning up on the handle, she fell down and out on the door handle, a trick she learned long before. When the door opened, she faced the wet outdoors. Grimacing with disgust at the wetness, she stepped hesitantly outside, before padding over to the body, shaking every paw of water each step. When she reached him, she hesitantly leaned over to sniff him, curling her lip in disgust at the death scent the body carried. Tentatively, she leaned down, clamping his damp scruff in her mouth. She had to hide him. Peaches grunted, pulling the heavy weight only a few inches before she released, her muscles strained and herself annoyed at her incapability to do this one simple task. Sitting down in a huff, she lashed her tail in frustration.

Suddenly, a quick movement to her left caught her attention. Hissing in surprise, she bristled, baring her teeth at the unknown threat, which turned out only to be some wet leaves blowing in the wind.

Exhaling in relief, and letting her fur fall flat, Peaches chided herself for being so jumpy. Why was she so tense? Cats might start to become suspicious, and then she might be found out.

"Did you kill that cat?" A voice demanded in her ear.

Peaches yelped in surprise and fear, swiveling around to face the cat behind her. Heart beating rapidly, her ears laying flat on her skull and her whiskers trembling, she hardly registered that this was not a kittypet, or at least, not one she knew.

"Wh-h-h-ho are you?" She hissed, eyes wide as she stared up at the towering figure above her. His wet fur was a musty white; he young cat, not much older than she was, and his bright yellow eyes flashed as he looked at her.

The white cat simply sighed. "Can you just answer my question?" His tail flicked towards the cat that lay behind him. "Did you kill him?"

"Are you one of…" She hesitated, before continuing, "_them?_"

"What?" The tom before her suddenly took a more relaxed expression, chuckling slightly, "No, I am not a clan cat, if that's what you mean."

"A housecat?"

"No!" He hissed, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"_Oh."_ she exhaled, letting her nerves relax a little bit, "Then… yes, I did kill him. But I did it on accident!" She explained quickly when she saw his fur prickle, "He and his friends… well, they were tormenting me, I guess. He kept on racing past me, patting me tauntingly with his paws, and I was curious, and…I reached out with a clawed paw and he just ran into them." She looked at her paws, whiskers drooping in shame.

She felt a thin tail-tip touch her shoulder. "It's ok." The tom smiled at her in comfort, "In fact I envy you."

She looked up, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," He said simply, "That where I come from, killing a clan cat is something to admire. They say it changes you. For better, or for worse, I don't know." He grinned, crouching in a playing position. "I haven't killed my first clan cat yet. They say it has to be done with a reason."

"What do you mean?" Peaches wondered, brow furrowed, "I thought to kill was something horrible."

"Oh, it is." He assured, curling his tail around his paws, "But it's different when you think about clan cats." He glanced at her with a yellow stare, "I'm part of a group of cats who fights against these clans. We protect kittypets and loners from their wrath."

She cocked her head. "Who _are _you?"

He smiled. "My name is Skull. And I can help you move him somewhere else, if you'd like." He flicked his tail again at the dead cat.

She smiled. "Thank you… Skull." She meowed, gratefully, "And by the way, my name… is Peaches."

He dipped his head respectfully, before moving towards the body, and grasping the cat's wet scruff in his teeth. Peaches jumped forwards and took a part of the scruff with him. Together, they pulled the body like a heavy, limp, rag, down the porch steps, across the lawn and towards the edge of the forest.

Peaches dropped the cat's scruff abruptly when they reached the fringe of trees, crouching down with ears back. Skull dropped the cat as well, glancing at Peaches. "What's wrong?"

Peaches shook. "I can't go in there." She said simply, "The wild cats are in there." She looked at him with wide eyes. "They'll kill me if they find me!"

Skull sighed, shaking his head. "You know, Peaches," He said, "You could come with me. To my group. You, like many others, have experienced the beating of the clan cats. Plus," he added, looking at the dead cat, "You've proven yourself to be a formidable opponent."

She pressed herself closer to the ground. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to kill him!"

"But you can learn to mean it." Skull murmured, touching her shoulder.

Peaches hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "N-n-no I think I'll pass. But— thank you anyways."

Skull sighed, shrugging. "Very well. It's your choice. I can't make you come." His tail twitched in disappointment as he turned and picked up the cat again. Peaches watched as he dragged the cat into the forest, but before he disappeared, he turned around to face her. "You know," He called, "They won't leave you alone."

She cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Just because you killed one of their kind," he continued, "Doesn't mean that they'll leave you alone."

Peaches shivered. "I know." She murmured, even though she didn't.

Skull nodded. "Very well." And with that, he and the dead cat disappeared into the shadows, with only a flick of a tail in good-bye.

* * *

"When is Icestar going to make his announcement?" Asked Troublepaw, lashing his tail in annoyance, "Swampfoot came back from the Moonpool two days ago. What's taking Icestar so long!"

"I'm sure he's just processing whatever Swampfoot told him," Frostflower murmured, as if she was trying to convince herself. She cast a worried glance at Riversong, her kits tumbling around her in a playful manner. What would Icestar do if StarClan said that Riversong had to leave?

Eaglepaw shifted on his paws, looking over at the medicine cat den. "I hope Cloverfur is ok." He said, concern edging his mew.

Treepaw nudged her friend playfully. "Come on, Eaglepaw! What's the worse that could happen? Swampfoot's got plenty of herbs for her, and besides, who ever heard of someone dying by a rat bite infection? She'll be better soon, don't worry."

"I guess…" Eaglepaw sighed, licking his chest a few times thoughtfully, "I just wish that I could train a little bit more. I'm _this_ close to becoming a warrior!" He held his paws in front of his face, a whisker length apart from each other.

"Hey!" Exclaimed Troublepaw, "Don't forget, I'm that close to being a warrior, too."

"And me!" put in Treepaw. "Why don't we ask our mentors, Troublepaw, if we can bring Eaglepaw to a training session?"

"You'd do that?" Eaglepaw perked up, eyes gleaming.

Troublepaw nodded. "Of course!" He turned to Treepaw, "Race you to Flamefang!"

As the three apprentices took off, Frostflower smiled, remembering that her apprenticeship wasn't that long ago. Exploring the woods and practicing battle moves with her brother was memorable. Thinking of him, Frostflower took a quick scan of the clearing but didn't spot him. She shrugged. He must be out on a patrol.

She heard the slight rustles of Icestar emerging from his den at the other side of the clearing, and turned towards the sound. Icestar and Swampfoot were arguing quietly, though Frostflower could see the prickle of Icestar's fur and the glint of his fangs. What were they squabbling about? Icestar seemed to hiss something to his medicine cat, and almost looked as if he was about to launch himself at the other cat, but then, with a glare and a snarl, Swampfoot turned and stomped away, tail flicking angrily.

Icestar turned, and caught Frostflower's eye. "Frostflower!" he called, twitching his whiskers a bit irately, "Come!"

Afraid that she was caught spying on a leader's private conversation, she came with ears lowered. "I'm sorry…" she murmured; tail drooping, "I shouldn't have watched."

Icestar brushed his tail across her nose in a comforting gesture. "It's alright. I'm surprised, actually, that no one else saw our… debate." Icestar murmured something under his breath that Frostflower couldn't catch, before adding, "Anyways, that's not what I called you here for." He sat, curling his tail around his paws, continuing, "I'm thinking of making your mentor my new deputy."

"Rushbrook!" She breathed, eyes glowing.

Icestar cocked his head. "You do not approve?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed, pride welling in her chest, "She's perfect; wise, and experienced, and brave!"

Icestar observed thoughtfully, nodding, "I thought it best to ask you, since you are, after all, one of her apprentices and know her more than anyone. But is that all? Is she only brave wise and experienced?"

"No…" Frostflower, said after a moment, "She is also stern, and she might just be too harsh on punishments; there were plenty of times when I disobeyed, and had to spend the next couple _moons_ cleaning out the elders den by myself." She laughed nervously, shaking her head at the memory. But there was something else… Frostflower looked at her leader with concern flickering in her eyes. "But what about Riversong? And her kits? What did StarClan say?"

His own gaze hardened. "That." He replied, curtly, "Is for you to find out at the gathering, along with everyone else." And with that, he turned to enter his den once more. But before entering, he stopped, and glanced over his shoulder. "I expect no one to hear about this conversation, am I right?"

Frostflower nodded. "Yes, Icestar."

Icestar nodded thoughtfully, before disappearing into the den with a flick of his tail, leaving Frostflower wondering what in StarClan had just happened.


End file.
